Trailer



July 4, 1950 F. J. VANDEMARK 2,513,604

TRAILER Filed sept. 12, 194e iiiililll MILLS@ Patented July 4, 1950 SflA'TltS PATENT OFFICE TRAILER J. Yanemark, Memphis, Tenn. Vminimum' september 12, 1946, serial No. 696,393

(Cl. '28d- 3334) vIl Claims. l

This invention relates 'to trailers and, more particularly., is `concerned with .a provision of a trailer for` handling bales of cottonglinters, .or the like, which trailer is of .a vunique design, capable of adequately supporting its load, the trailer being one of a series of such'trailers to be used in connection with a power tractor for moving the bales or the like through a plant or warehouse.

One of the primary .objects of lthe .present invention is to provide la ytrailer of this type which is tiltable to .facilitate they loading` of cotton, Iinters, or other bulky articles .onto the trailer, and then returnable into vposition for .regular operation .so that it caribe moved' bythe power tractor ,from yplace to place within `the warehouse or processing plant. Another object of-the present invention is to provide Aa frame construction in which the trailer frame .has a .central .tubular member through which the towing :stresses are transmitted, thereby eliminating any towing strains upon .the balance of v'the trailer.

Another feature of the presentfinvention is to provide a trailer construction in which the trailer body is designed so that it balances fairly well :on two wheels, allowing an operator tornaneuver .it around in position in much-.the same manner .as a hand truck.

Still another feature of the present invention is to provide a light Weightrigid trailer construction, preferably Amade `of seamless tubular construction which is welded in place and provided is to provide uniform trailers ofthe vsaine weight,

which, when connected in a trailer train, can be individually and progressively moved over a platform scale so that the articles carried thereon can be weighed, and the trailer weight being known, vthe net weight of the article, such as a cotton balev or the like, can bereadily ascertained. Preferably, the trailer is provided 'at its rear end, with small wheels which allow` for movement of the trailer when it is tilted 4upwardly to receive fa bale of cotton or the like, and l.forwardly of the main supporting wheels, the trailer is supported by a caster wheel to allow it to be steered when in a trailer train. l

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, will disclose to those skilled in the art, the particular construction and operation of a preferred form of the presentinvention.

In the drawing;

'Figure 1 is a top plan View of a trailer construction embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the trailer shown in'Figure 1, and,

Figure 3 is a front end view of the trailer shown in Figure 1.

'Referring now in detail to the drawing, the trailer body consists generally of'a central 'tubular frame member 5, to which is welded normally extending arm portions 6, preferably also, formed of vtubular members, and to the free ends of the arm ,portions are welded side `frame tubular members l, which, at their forward ends, are turned inwardly, Aas indicated at 8 and are `welded to the Icentral member 5. It will be noted that the arms 6 extend slightly upwardly from the main frame member 5, so that the side rails or tubular elements 'I are disposed slightly above the horizontal plane through the central member 5,'thereby forming a` concave bed or frame work, within which the bale of cotton, linters or other articles, is disposed. v

The main frame member 5 projects forwardly of the inturned ends 3 of the member 'I randis pro'videdat its forward end with a, transverse pin 9` vwhich is adapted to receive the bracket portions 'I0 of a coupler mechanism indicated generally at I2. It will thus be apparent `that the coup-1er mechanism vI2 is `pivotally supported from the member 5 by meansof the pin 9, and the coupler :I2 'preferably is so balanced that it will be maintainedy in a substantially horizontal position at all times, thereby facilitating Coupling of the'forward end lof the trailer to either a tractor or `to the yrear end of preceding trailers. By reason of the pivot construction, it will be apparent that no portion of the weight of either a preceding or succeeding trailer will be imposed upon the trailer, thereby insuring that `when itis weighed, the net vweight of the articles carried by the trailer can be readily ascertained.

Welded to the under surface -of `the tubular member gadjacent the rstpair of cross arms 6. is ya, spindle member I3, upon which is rmounted the caster arm I4 which supports the Wheel I5. The arm I4 is pivotally mounted relative to the spindle I3, in any desired manner so as to allow the wheel I5 to rotate when the trailer is moved about a corner or the like.

Adjacent the second and third pair of arms 6, the side rail members 'I have welded thereto, downwardly converging arm portions I6, preferi-lg? 2,513,604

-ber are additional cross bracing tubular mem;-A

bers 22 which extend downwardly and outwardly from the member 5 to the rear axle supporting member I6 as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. These form additional bracing for the axle sup,-v ports to prevent them from lateral movement.

Beyond the point at which the braces v22 are .l

secured to the central member 5, there is provided av coupling' member 23 which includes a suitable recess or slot 24, adapted to receive the cross member of the coupler I2 of the succeeding trailer to lock it for towing purposes to the preceding trailer. This coupler member23 may be of standard construction as is well known in the art.

Each of the side members I at their rear ends are provided with welded depending brackets 26 which are adapted to have pivots 21 carried therebyfor rotatable supporting auxiliary wheels 28 thereon.,l 4The wheels 28 are employed when the traileris tilted upwardly about the axle I9 and engage the floor to provide a balanced construc tion so that the fingers 29, carried at the extreme endsof member I, can be moved to the edge of a cotton bale or the like, to tip it. onto the trailer bed. The trailer is then restored to the horizontal position where it rests upc-n the wheels and, I5. In place of the wheels at the rear end of the trailer, there could be a rocker or lever attachment to obtain the same results, ythis end of the .trailer being a construction somewhat similar to that of a hand truck.

It will therefore be apparent with the present construction, there is provided a trailer, which can be manufactured in quantity, of uniform weight and with universal type couplersso that the weight of the trailer is independent of any forces imparted thereto by the adjacent trailer I claim:

1. A trailer construction comprising side frame members and a lengthwise extending central frame member intermediate said side frame members, main load supporting wheel means beneath said frame disposed rearwardly of the transverse center thereof, load engaging means at the rear extremities of said side frame members, coupler means at the rearwardpduof lsaidcfentral frame member lying inwardly-f theouter 'ends of said load engaging means, and rocker wheel means located intermediate said main load supporting l wheels and said load engaging means, whereby said frame is adapted to be tilted rearwardly about saidf-,main supporting wheel means for engaging said rocker wheel means with the ground and said load supporting means with a load to be A carried by said frame, and with said coupler caster 'wheel' means l"supporting the fore Apart'of to. which it is connected, and in which the entire trailer structure is formed of tubular elements which may be welded in position. Also itfwill be noted `that the relative positions of the wheels 2D with respect to the longitude extentvof the trailer, provide for a balancing of the trailer frame -lying features of the present invention, and I therefore do not intend` to: be limited except as defined bythe scope and spirit ofthe appended claims.' f

beyond the front yof said frame, load'engaging fmeanslat the'rear exe tremities'l .of 'said fsidlel lframe members, coupler means at the rearward 'end'of said centralframe member lying inwardly` of the outer ends of said load engaging means vand below said side frame members, and rocker wheel means located intermediate said'main load vsupporting wheel means and'said load engaging means', whereby said frame is adapted to, be' tilted rearwardly about said main supporting wheel meansfor engaging said rocker wheel meanswith the ground and said load supportingl means with al ldadto becarried by said frame and with s aidcoupler means out of en gagernent withthe ground? f 3. The trailervconstruction of claim l charac# terized by the provision of second coupler means carried by said frame' and projecting forwardly beyondthefront of said frame. Y

n ll. Ihe trailer construction of claim 2 characterizedl'by the provision of second coupler means carried by said frame and projecting forwardly -said frame. f fFREDJ. VANDEMARK.

y W REFERENCES `Crrlin The following references'are of record inthe lepf thispatent;A 4 r,

l UNITED STATES PATENTS Number v `Name Y l Date k1,432,296 Mosel' v Oct. 17', 1922 1,769,981v "Allison; July 8, 1930 1,866,887 v- Gleason etal. f July-12,1932 2,179,410 lJohnsona" Nov.' 7,1939 2,374,383 Sampsell Apr. 24, 1945 

